Tension has gripped the people of Ondo State following the alleged forceful discharge of patients at the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, in Akure, over the strike action of the doctors at the facility.
It was gathered that following the strike action, all patients at the center were asked to vacate the hospital and were forcefully discharged.
However, an official of the center stated that no patient has been discharged adding that only asymptomatic patients were discharged.
Speaking in confidence, he said: “If you do not exhibit symptoms, they only give drugs and advice you to self-isolate at home.
“The state government has been trying but the number of patients keeps increasing daily. We had about 76 cases on Tuesday, if they continue to admit those without the symptoms, the facility will be overwhelmed.”
But the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, NAGGMDP, yesterday, vowed not to return to work until the government meets their demands.
The Secretary of NAGGMDP in Ondo State, Dr. Olasakinju Tunde, said: “We had through the congress requested that our members who are the COVID-19 specialists in the Infectious Disease Hospital Akure continue to work till Thursday morning, 2nd July 2020 in the interest of the general public and particularly confirmation of the COVID-19 status of Mr. Governor.
“It is, however, imperative that our members be withdrawn immediately due to lack of the human face expected from the government. We are pained to have been made to do as such.”
Denying the shutting down of the isolation centre as a result of the strike, the Special Adviser and acting Commissioner of Health, Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye said: “The only changes are the protocol of managing infected COVID-19 patients at the center.”
“We wish to state that our isolation centers are open fully. What has however changed is the protocol of managing patients with COVID-19.
“Before now, the protocol was to isolate every patient infected with COVID -19 in the isolation center but now our new protocol is to admit for treatment only positive patients with symptoms at the centers.
“Other positive cases that are asymptomatic are to self-isolate under supervision in their suitable homes according to the standard and global practice”, Adeyeye said.
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